Plenty of pre-electoral chickens are being counted after the Supreme Court directed the trial court to proceed in the Gulberg society carnage case in the Gujarat pogrom of 2002. And leading the charge is Narendra Damodardas Modi and his drumbeaters in his party and the media, who interpret the SC ruling as a licence for the Gujarat chief minister to now conquer the Centre. (Mercifully, L.K. Advani had announced his anti-corruption yatra three days earlier, else Modi’s prime ministerial candidacy would have been signed, sealed and delivered by now.)

Nevertheless, there is no denying that depending on which way the trial court goes in the Ehsan Jafri case, how the corruption charges against Modi’s government stick, what happens in the Gujarat assembly elections due by December 2012, how the other aspirants in the BJP (including Advani) react to Modi’s ambitions, and how the allies in the NDA take to him, Narendra Modi is now well and truly eyeing a role in Delhi, a suspicion confirmed by a US thinktank report which sees him as a “likely candidate for prime ministership”.

Should that happen, it opens up a delicious prospect. That of a State satrap with a much-touted record of corruption-free governance against the Congress’ heir apparent, Rahul Gandhi, whose record both as parliamentarian and as a party general secretary has at best been patchy. With the Congress president Sonia Gandhi not in particularly great health and with Manmohan Singh‘s reputation in tatters after all the scams under his charge, it is daunting challenge ahead of Rahul Gandhi, should he lead the charge in 2014.

Narendra Modi is a tried and tested leader. He has proved himself by providing good governance in Gujarat for last 10 years. The economy is booming, there are so many new jobs in Gujarat that people from all over the country are going to the state and finding employment.

As far as the 2002 riots are concerned, they are a sad chapter in our history. Such riots have been happening in this country since 1947. Why? What are the social, cultura, and economic reasons that lead to riots? The same secular forces have been ruling this country for much the period, and yet we have had riots.

These riots are a blot on the nation, but it is also a fact that all “Third World Countries” suffer from riots. There are riots in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Somalia, even in Russia, Serbia, etc. Most of the riots are not due to religious, cultural or political reasons, even it may seem that way.

Riots happen due to economic reasons. So the best way of preventing future riots is to reform the economy and make the country prosperous.

Modi has proved that he is the best person to reform the economy, if he comes to power in Delhi, he might be able to make the entire country as prosperous as Gujarat. Once the economy is doing well, people of all religions and castes and linguistic groups are going to benefit.

The bottom line is that – Narendra Damodardas Modi is an idea whose time has come. He is the youngest politician in India today, not because of his physical age, but because of the “new economic ideas” and “new hopes of developement” that he represents. He is the face of what India can be.

An emphatic No to Modi. The blot of Gujarat genocide 2002 stuck on Modi is the major deterrent for him.
Have you not noticed the ground realities? How did Nitish Kumar won in Bihar? He banned Modi from Bihar. He hastily withdrew his photo with Modi. He won handsomely for this bold stand. There in lies the message for all the lunatic fans of Modi.
Modi would be a burden to NDA. He would sweep voters away from the NDA camp. Those who are at the helm of affairs of BJP should realise this sweet truth. Perhaps the top echelons of NDA may tempt to stick with the former future Prime Minister L K Advani who seems to have still some firepower left on him. The way he tackled the cash for vote arrests was better than that of (dancer in rajghat) Sushma and (Television debator) Jaitley

As for UPA too Rahul Gandhi is a non-starter. He lacks the grit of his grand mother and instinct of his father. One doubts whether he has the ambition to lead nation or not? He always remains silent in any major issue affecting the people. P Chidambaram could be the better choice for UPA. Or they could stick on the Sardarji.

There is a good chance of dawn of Third Front from nowhere. Anna Hazare has hinted it. People are fed up with both NDA and UPA.
Who knows? As Agnivo has pointed out there may be some sweet surprises in the offing.

Rahul may be Prime headmastership in2014 general election but chances of Modi is impossible.He is not popular outside Gujarat his image out side Gujarat is bad..In last state election he went for some state as a champion but failed In bhihar Nitish and BJP not allowed him to came bihar.

Azeez,
You should be a little more cautious. Modi, who was never guilty in the slightest way to start with for the 2002 riots, has gone ahead and consolidated the Hindu vote in Gujarat, and is well on his way to capturing the middle class Muslim vote as well in that state. It is beyond doubt (unless you are given to reading rags like Tehelka/Open/Outlook) that Modi is the best CM we have had in a long time since the post-independence class of Kamaraj, AN Sinha, Biju Patnaik, Prakasam, Sri Krishna, Bordoloi, BC Roy and several others who are the real makers of modern India. Modi has only one goal to work for the people who have elected him. he has no flunkies, courtiers or chamchas and is ruthless with crime and corruption. When a state that houses 5% of all Indians produces >20% of its exports, where the agricultural growth rate >11%, where rural industrialisation outpaces urban industrialisation, it has wll and truly taken off. Ask Qutbuddin Ansari the tailor who left Ahmedabad for Kolkata on why he has returned to his hometown, and how poorly he thinks of the secular/NGO mafia that runs our country.
If you want to talk of corruption and religion influencing state, look at Karnataka’s neighbor AP where the YSR clan has looted the state for years.
Nitish Kumar runs a 30 MP party and lacks the courage to stand for the Vidhan Sabha elections. And we want a poltroon like him for PM. Better that Nitish run Bihar for a few more decades and bring it up to speed. It is time Modi ran the country and help it realise that potential the National Planning Committee of the Congress outlined in 1938 – of a 600% expansion of national wealth. As for Pappu he should take a trip to Pampolona and confront his fears. Both for Indians and Pappu – Zindagi Na Mile Doobara.

The only way for Modi to become PM is if BJP gets a majority or very close to majority. If it is reliant on too many other folks in NDA then one or the other party will demand a leader other than Modi (even at the behest of other contenders within BJP).

Besides, this trend of ‘innocent until proven guilty’ is tiring when it comes to responsible posts. To be in responsible posts, what you need is a blemishless record. And not being convicted of a serious crime isn’t that.

I read a IE editorial which preaches against a bill aimed at decriminalization of polls, saying a candidate with a charge-sheet hasn’t been proven guilty so should be allowed to contest. That’s absurd.

As our CEC said in an interview, there are a few lakh undertrial prisoners this country. They are locked up denying atleast 3 fundamental rights, even before they are convicted, for what is a mere suspicion of a crime.

But, when it comes to choosing our national leaders, why a right to contest election, which is not even a fundamental right so important?? It is not like the heavens will fall if a few charge sheeted folks aren’t elected. This nation has no scarcity of good people to govern us!!

Modi cannot live down the blot of Godhra riots. Whether he was guilty or not guilty, whether he tried to stop ithe violence, didn’t try, etc are moot points. However, a dispropotionate number of people died in those few days, and that alone is proof of either unforgivable incompetence or horrifing heartlessness.

As for his ‘vision’, if he has plans other than making commercial concrete megaliths, literally and figuratively, then he might have promise. Otherwise, its just old wine in a new bottle.

Neither Congress nor BJP can win on their own. So it boils down to the number of allies or regional satraps that you can get on to your side.

So if I am a regional satrap like, say, Sharad Pawar or Karunanidhi, I would think – With who at the top, can I feather my own nest? A strong incorruptible Modi or a weak Gandhi (with corruption charges already against his family) ?

It is a myth created by media and right wingers that Modi is a good administrator.

1. His own Home Minister was shot in broad daylight. Till today the culprits are scot free.

2. 2000 gujratis were killed during 2002. Showcased Modi’s hopeless administration powers. Five days there was no law and order. Perhaps he is the weakest CM India has ever produced. Proof? Supreme court has told that in a scathing comment that Nero was fiddling when Rome was burning. Damning indictment of Modi’s governance abilities.

3. Liqour is officially banned in Gujarat. But it is freely available, call a number and they will deliver it at your doorstep. At a price that is! Corruption rules here day and night.

Local newspapers are full of corruption stories in Gujarat. The national media is just not picking it up.

For instance , as recent as 20 days back CAG indicted several govt establishents in Gujarat of causing loss of Rs. 26,000 crore to Gujarat state. WHy did the national media not pick this news? If a Sheila is indicted all channels go hammer and tongs against her, but if Modi is indicted, the channels keep quiet.

Gujarat is just ahead in a few areas – but it is lagging in several industries and socio economic indicators. Many other states are way ahead of Bihar on a hundred counts.

@twistleton, the riots were a blot not just on Modi, but on the entire political class. They were a blot on the entire ccountry. Every riot is a blot on the entire country. So lets stop singling out one person.

Why do riots keep happening in this country? in wake of 9/11, US did not have a single riot, but india has a riot even if someone spills a cup of tea. Why?

The main problem is that we are a poor country. It is “POVERTY” that causes riots. It is poverty that drives people to kill each other and loot and arson, etc.

So the best way of curbing such violence is through the creation of a more prosperous society. This can only happen through economic reform.

Economic reform can only happen when we have a strong leader at the centre. Modi is a strong leader. He can keep the coalition partners in check. He can curb corruption. Modi can do everything that the UPA has been unable to do.

Hence, he might be able to convince voters who want more safe and prosperous country to support him. But 2014 is still quite distant a lot can change between now and then.

One thing is clear. No leader from the BJP other than Modi has been able to capture the imagination of so many people. Indians see a spark and hope in him. There may be some who have got so carried away by the intense media propoganda against him, that despite a lack of evidence and SC clearance, they still see Modi as a demon. Nevertheless, the only alternative to Modi is Rahul Gandhi! So those Indians who are not really enamoured of the First Family, would do well to give the Lion from Gujarat a chance at the Centre! Whether he had a hand in the Gujarat riots or not, even time will not tell – going by the reactions of his critics after the SC decision. But certainly, after the hounding that he has received after the Gujarat riots, he will atleast not engineer another one!

@Kaangeya. Greetings. Thank you for your kind advice.
Kindly go through the following story.

It is related that, whilst some game was being roasted for Nushirvan the just during a hunting party, no salt could be found.

Accordingly a boy was sent to an adjoining village to bring some. Nushirvan said: ‘Pay for the salt lest it should become a custom and the village be ruined.’

Having been asked what harm could arise from such a trifling demand, Nushirvan replied: ‘The foundation of oppression was small in the world but whoever came augmented it so that it reached its present magnitude.’

If the king eats one apple from the garden of a subject
His slaves will pull him up the tree from the roots.

For five eggs which the sultan allows to be taken by force
The people belonging to his army will put a thousand
fowls on the spit.

A tyrant does not remain in the world
But the curse on him abides for ever.

If you took off your ‘congie’ prism and looked at the situation, you’ll see that none of what you say is exclusive weakness for Modi.

Rajeev Gandhi had more people perish under his administration in Sikh riots, Sonia Gandhi oversaw ‘operation quatrocchi’ to ensure the guy was let off scott free. There have been several severe governance lapses under Gandhi family yet, they can be the foremost leaders in this nation.

The same can happen with Modi, provided BJP can garner equal number of seats as Congress has done. Then the rest of NDA will fall in line. In power politics, all the issues you spoke of doesn’t matter.

But, my personal choice is he is pushed out of public office at least for a few years, to reflect on the awful atrocities that happened under his regime (even if he wasn’t personally not involved).

But, if the choice was really between RG and Modi, damn, I’d invalidate my vote.

Hi
neither modi nor rahul become prime minister of India in 2014 as it is predestined for the great sahhasra saagaramrita to become prime minister of India on 22nd May 2014 which can not be ruled out as i born not only for ruling but also to establish a true aquuarian era for more than 10,000 years in this period no religion or caste system , no corruption as corruption will be eradicated from the bottom root .

If Modi is only going to use his clout as an adminstrator to push forward “neo-liberal” policies of development, then marginalization of the poor (with the inherent cultural complications) will increase. These policies, by the way, conveniently escape the tag of “corruption” because they are promulgated as promoters of “growth”.

Enough evidence is available around the world, that the “trickle-down” effect is a myth. The gaps will remain unbridged, the degree to which they remain so may differ, with perhaps lesser token-socialism under the NDA.

A popular leader will hesitate to take decisions that will alienate his/her voters. That casts a question on whether Modi can replicate his success at a national level, given the greater diversity of self-interests that will confront him.

As things stand now, there won’t be much to choose between the NDA and UPA, except in that who injects more hostility and suspicion into our national ethos.

However, reason rarely tempers expectations, so as you say, Modi might well turn out to be the Great Hope.

However, i can’t understand what neo-liberal means. Liberal, conservative, neo-liberal, etc, have ceased too has any meaning. If you mean policies of economic reform, then it is not true that reforms lead to marginalisation of the poor.

The economic reforms of 1992 (done by Shri Narshima Rao) have led to creation of the modern middle class in this country. So if there are more reforms the sizes of the middle class will grow. Instead of being marginalized, more poor will enter the middle class.

What India needs is “freedom from government.” The independence we got in 1947 is still incomplete. Because govt. continues to dominate in all aspects of our life. We need to be free from the govt.

Only a strong leader can have the courage and the integrity of giving more freedom to the people. A cowardly and weak leader will always try to control the people.

That is why want this country to choose a strong prime minister in the centre for a change. Only a strong leader can cut through the clutter of red tape and set the spirit of enterprise in the country free. We don’t have to be a poverty ridden third world country forever.

To be prosperous all we need to do is get rid of this evil system of socialism, which only caters to a small number of politically connected elite and leaves millions of hapless Indians to fend for themselves.

While you are busy digging up manufactured anecdotes about Naushirvan, spare a thought for the India his descendants looted – most notably Nadir Shah, who plundered and pillaged Delhi for months, slaughtering 1000s. Also could you drop a line to the Iranian government and ask them to return the Peacock Throne?
You must understand something. If Islamicists decide to consolidate and demand an entitlement regime (as is currently happening in W.Bengal where the ex-Bangladesh genocide perpetrators – the razakars – all Urdu speakers are backing mamata) it will one day lead to Hindu consolidation.

For all,
What has happened in Gujarat is the economic prosperity in villages as well as the urban areas is expanding the middle-class, and the most backward communities among the Hindus are benefiting the most. This has wrecked the Congress’s carefully constructed communal policy of creating a votebank of KHAM – Kshatriya Harijan Adivasi Muslim. KHA are now banding together as Hindus (which is why the earlier Hindus left outs of KHAM – Brahmins and Patidars) are leading the charge against Modi. Sanjiv Bhat, Modhvadia etc., are Patidars or Brahmins. In fact the Congressman Modhvadia is accusing Modi of being a Brahmin hater! Note how the Congress talks in two voices. Outside Gujarat it endlessly pillories Modi and the BJP as the maut-ka-saudagar, ensuring that the only national alternative – the BJP – is held up as a scary frightening alternative to the Congress. It then breaks up the Hindu vote at will – one time by “poaching” the SCs from the BSP, and at the next by cynically designed moves to grab other BCs. But in Gujarat you will never hear the Congress talking about the 2002 riots. No sir, because every time it does that the Hindu vote consolidates further in favor of the BJP. So the Congress in Gujarat talks corruption! The irony! Modi is one of those rare politicians who lives by himself and does not entertain a single relative at official expense. He has no flunkies, chamchas or courtiers (unlike the Congress which is simply a collection of varying classes of Sonia/Rahul/Priyanka chamchas). After 10 years of development Gujarat today is the only power surplus state, has the best rural sanitation, has achieved the steepest growth in women’s literacy, and has the fastest pace of rural industrialization. Witness the BRTS in Ahmedabad and the hodgepodge transportation in Bombay, and the way Gujarat has ruthlessly weeded out corrupt contractors. Modi is the best administrator today, and we need someone like him to run the country. Someone who can counter a populist program with prudence, as when he dared the Congress to run against his proposal to sue power pilferers and recover dues, while the Congress wanted to write off power dues. For too long this country has been looted by mountebanks and charlatans. It is time for a true leader like Modi. The rest are simply looters.

@kaangeya.
Kindly understand the spirit behind the anecdote and have a open mind. Thiruvalluvar has rightly said that ‘yep porul yar yar vai ketpinum ap porul mai porul kanpadhu arivu’.
Ali (RA) in a similar vein said that ‘See what is being said than at the person who is saying’

Modi is a failure. Gujarat genocide 2002 is the proof. Kindly go through the links provided by Br Simple. Modi definitely not for development.

Projecting the mass murderer and merchant of death as the only alternative is sickening. Don’t we have leaders?

Azeez,
Modi is a successful administrator and a first class politician. Kindly go through the Economic and Political Weekly to understand how Gujarat has become an outstanding success in agriculture and is now well on it’s way to increasing the share of manufacturing to absorb future surplus labour from agriculture. There has been one genocide in this country. In 1947 the Kashmir Valley had a 55% proportion of Pandits. Today that % is 0.1%. You should be more careful with your use of words. Now is a good time to get rid of your misconceptions about Modi. Take a look at the guest list at the Sadhbhavana Yatra. Count the number of Christian, Muslim leaders at the venue. If you are interested watch the love feed. Bihar is not yet there. For a start Nitiah Kumar should become an MLA. Until then he will just be a provincial leader.

Well, the Modi discussion on this page has gone on entirely expected lines. It is the same sort of Modi discussion we’ve been having every time there’s a Modi article here.

Kaangeya is right in that 2002 was not a “Genocide”. Use of strong words like “Genocide” simply breeds distaste and irritation. Call it a prolonged riot if you wish. If you really believe in ‘hate-Modi’ principles, go on and say that it was a riot which the state government delayed in controlling, most probably intentionally. But stop using this bullshit “Genocide” word.

DB,
Care to explain your statement’ Modi will win if he contests as PM candidate’ vis-a vis our Parliamentary form of government. Did you mean to say , if a BJP led alliance were to project Modi as their PM candidate, it would win a majority in the Lok Sabha and thereby their projected leader would be PM or did you intend to some some other thing!!.

For all that is praised in Modi, I can see the same praise for Nitish Kumar and he has no riot stain- the JDU is a small party but then a couple of years of small party rule post 2014 might be in order for India’s political cycle.

It all depends on how badly the congress fares in terms of number of MP’s earned. Then the round table discussion begins of how much mata soniaji and rahul baba hand out to ever greedy, feudalist, corrupt, uneducated politicans from UP negotiate and then hand their MP’s over to even more scandalous congress.

Same thing happened in karnataka, where each MLA was offered atleast 2 Crores by reddy bro’s to form majority govt.

Western economies are now feeling the backlash of “laissez faire”. In fact, the “no govt is good govt” brigade has gotten so strong, that even if individual politicians feel differently (in the light of global economic crises), they have no choice but to listen to the influential lobbies who pay big money to maintain the status-quo.

In fact, the Tea-party campaign has gone as far as to get middle class voters to support policies that will be deletrious to themselves in the long run. Tax has been made into a swear-word, and people who even suggest the possibility tax-hikes are considered heathen, God-spurning, communist devils. That’s the power of propoganda.

Now with increasing unemployment in the West, people are having to concede, that ultimately Govt has to butt in now and then to level the playing field, if only to give a boost to flagging markets.

In the face of rightist obstructionism to any proper economic re-balancing, IMF and EU have the gall to suggest austerity measures to debt-ridden countries inevitably leading to protest. Only now have the rich in different countries volunteered to pay more tax – because a long-drawn out recession will obviously hurt them too.

The greatest short-coming of laissez faire is that it banks too much on good behaviour from all economic sections- that the rich will re-invest wisely and sensibly, that the middle class will pay taxes and the poor will patiently await their turn.

And we haven’t even begun to talk about environmental damage and related health-costs yet.

India is set to faithfully retrace the growth trajectory of western countries, sticking to the script, without even attempting to leap-frog redundant systems, call them what you will – socialism, capitalism, Manmohanomics etc, etc, etc..

Laissez Faire is an attitude, not a defined policy with principles, methods, and guidelines.
And no “Western Economies” aren’t laissez faire, not even the US political economy, which is now almost entirely in the grip of a cabal of privately held feudal aristocrats, financiers and big oil. The western Economies have some of the best developed social security and welfare programs. These range in their extent and depth from the almost continuous German model which traces back to Bismarck (yes even Hitler continued these programs although he kept vast numbers out of it), the Japanese, and the Anglosphere of British Dominions. These countries have been able to expand their programs because they have generated surpluses from time to time, and have always expanded national wealth.
The US economy is faltering and in decline because consumption has grown to an unrealistic 70% of GDP while private investment is barely 11%. The economy has become a huge financial services market, and it is the banks and Big Oil that rule. Although there is no data based analysis, I bet all this dotcom’isation of the economy has simply shut down one sector of the economy to grow another – internally parasitic. For instance Amazon’s growth is coming at the expense of traditional retailers – first the bookstore chains that went bankrupt, now the electronic retailers (Best Buy is getting hammered like heck), and very soon even WalMart and Home Depot will start feeling the pinch – what do you do when youngsters order their breakfast cereal through Amazon? In California Amazon is spending $3 million to fight the imposition of sales tax on online purchases, while the same tax on brick and mortar retailers is killing them. European economies that followed the US model – UK, Ireland, Iceland, Greece, Spain and Portugal – all of whom pumped up huge asset bubbles of real estate, are suffering and threatening to bring down the house, while it is the two traditionalist economies of France and Germany that are struggling to hold the tent up. India is not taking the US route and will always be a conservatively managed economy. We are not taking the Chinese route of investment heavy growth or the US model of consumption led growth. But we have a very long way to go, so that the infrastructure – clean sanitation, education, and transportation – can be made effective and productive. That requires economic growth. Very long ago, over 70 years ago, when the National Planning Committee of the Congress (chaired by JL Nehru) drafted an economic plan for a free India it proposed economic growth as the driver of development, estimating that a progressive standard of living for the Indian population, and the abolition of poverty would require the national wealth to grow by at least 600%. The Committee expressed the opinion that re-distribution of wealth expect by way of a fair taxation policy (rather than a punitive one as the commies love it) would not banish poverty.

I agree. However, don’t you think, that Indian enterprise also faces the risk of being eaten up by big businesses?

Two more questions: Granted that growth is needed to invest in infrastructure. But as you say a fair amount of growth is required to make a dent. So far it has proved elusive. Is there a time period by which growth will be reflected in better HDI?

Does competing in the global market have to lead to an erosion of traditional enterprise?

The infrastructure that is perforce put on hold till we can “afford” it will hold us back from reaching our potential. It’s a vicious cycle. To break out of it, we have to be unconventional.

Hi,
I thought , let me become Prime Minister of India and do good for India. Later i came to know that i have born for other mission to destroy the evil kali (not the Maa kaali) worldwide without bloodshed on mother earth to protect the good religion and create the best “Satya yuga” worldside forever.
Amrit Sagar

Every moment and every object is influenced by planets is known to almost all astrologers. and Rahul Gandhi too under planetary influences and he has to become Prime Minister of India which cannot be ruled out.
Amrit Sagar

As per my knowledge most probably shree Kalki Avatara, the 10th and final Maha Avatara of lord Vishnu has reincarnated and begun his mission ” Without bloodshed on mother earth, shree Kalki Avatara is destroying evil Kali (not the Maa Kaali) , injustice, immoral and irreligious and protecting the Justice, morality and religious act on the earth to create “Satya Yuga” , which is why a sudden changes has take place from 27th September 2013 resulted in Rahul Gandhi’s statement at a press conference “ordinance is complete nonsense, it should be torn up and thrown out” very unexpectedly and without knowledge of Rahul Gandhi himself, i felt. If the same words has been said by any , they would have been faced lot of problems as e-media and other media reports. . is Mr.Rahul Gandhi is shree Kalki Avatara? can any body believe? will congress “I” leaders believe it? I believe, mostly Rahul Gandhi may be Shree Kalki Avatara which is why he talked against his party government and survived. At present Congress “I” leaders, both elders and younger following him and whatever Rahul Gandhi says they say he is right and they supporting him. Already congress”I” leaders had decided Rahul Gandhi will be their party candidate for 2014 Lok Sabha and Monamohan Singh too express his desire that Rahul To become PM and Singh’s willing to work in Congress “I’ under Rahul’s guidance.
I wish Rahul Gandhi to become Prime Minister and do good for the Nation India.
Sahhasra Tejendra “Shree Vishnu”.

Dear Mr.Shemej,
Valmiki, a docaoit turned great saint who predicted Ramayana, before the birth of Lord Rama.
Just observe statements of congress leaders before Rahul’s statement on ordinance. Rahul Gandhi may not be original Shree Kalki Avatara, he may be a poppet on the hands of Shree Kalki Avatara. Shree Kalki Avatara is not destroying who are injustice, immoral and irreligious, Shree Kalki is destroying injustice, immoral and irreligious. Shree Kalki can control Rahul Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi may control Congressmen. Shree Kalki avatara wants to establish justice, moral and religious.
Tejendra Sahhasra “Shree Vishnu”